Miniature rose plant ‘PACninetyeight’

ABSTRACT

A new miniature rose plant which has abundant, white colored flowers and attractive foliage. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for year round production in commercial glass houses as a flowering pot plant. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Botanical designation: Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘PACninetyeight’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety ofminiature rose plant, which was developed by artificially pollinating anunnamed seedling (not patented) with an unnamed seedling (not patented).The two parents were crossed in the summer of 2001 and the resultingseed was sown in December 2001, in a controlled glasshouse environment.Out of these seedlings one seedling was selected, as the new variety andnamed ‘PACninetyeight’. The new rose may be distinguished from its seedparent, an unnamed seedling, by the following combination ofcharacteristics:

-   -   1. ‘PACninetyeight’ has small double flowers, while the unnamed        seedling has medium double flowers.    -   2. ‘PACninetyeight’ has white colored petals, while the unnamed        seedling has off white petals.

The new variety may distinguish from its pollen parent, an unnamedseedling, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘PACninetyeight’, has small double flowers, while the unnamed        seedling has medium double flowers.    -   2. ‘PACninetyeight’ has white colored petals, while the unnamed        seedling has off white petals.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Initial asexual reproduction of ‘PACninetyeight’ by cuttings was firstdone in Santa Barbara, Calif., USA. This initial and other subsequentpropagation conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated thatthe characteristics of ‘PACninetyeight’ are true to type and aretransmitted one generation to the next. ‘PACninetyeight’ is a low andcompact miniature rose with good vigor. The objective of thehybridization of this rose variety for commercial greenhouse culture wasto create a new and distinct variety with:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant flowers with good keeping ability;    -   2. Attractive long lasting foliage and compact growth;    -   3. Year round flowering under glasshouse conditions;    -   4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots;    -   5. Durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable        for distribution in the floral industry.

This combination of qualities was not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type, known to the inventor, anddistinguish ‘PACninetyeight’ from all other varieties of which I amaware.

The seeds from hybridization were planted in a controlled environmentand evaluations were conducted on the resulting plants. ‘PACninetyeight’was selected by, Daniel Jauchen, in his development program in SantaBarbara, Calif., USA.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonably toobtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics ofthe buds, flowers, leaves, stems of ‘PACninetyeight’. Specificallyillustrated in the drawings:

-   1: Young shoot.-   2: Bud before opening the sepals.-   3: Bud at the stage of opening the sepals.-   4: Bud at the stage of opening the petals.-   5: Flower during course of opening.-   6: Open flower—plan view—obverse.-   7: Open flower—plan view—reverse.-   8: Fully open flower—plan view—obverse.-   9: Fully open flower—plan view—reverse.-   10: Receptacle showing stamens and pistils.-   11: Receptacle showing pistils (stamens and sepals removed).-   12: Flower petals, detached—inner surface.-   13: Flower petals, detached—outer surface.-   14: Bare stem exhibiting thorns and flower attachment.-   15: Three leaflets upper side.-   16: Three leaflets reverse side.-   17: Five leaflets upper side.-   18: Five leaflets reverse side.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of the Miniature Rose: Rosahybrida ‘PACninetyeight’.

The following observations, measurements, values and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in glass houses in Santa Barbara, Calif., USA.

The age of the observed plants were 3 months after propagation bycuttings, and produced as flowering pot plants in container of 10centimeter in diameter. Environmental conditions in the cultivation areafor the observed plants, has been temperatures from 64 to 78 degreeFahrenheit, and 10 to 20 hours day length with assimilation light. Lightlevels from 600 foot candle to 6000 foot candle. The relative humidityhas been ranging from 50 to 85%.

Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London,England) Colour Chart, 1995, except where common terms of color areused. For a comparison, the nearest existing rose variety is ‘JENeight’,a rose variety described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,179.

Chart 1 details several physical characteristics of ‘PACninetyeight’ and‘JENeight’.

CHART 1 ‘PACninetyeight’ ‘JENeight’ Petal color, Upper surface WhiteGroup 155A White Group 155D Petal color, Reverse surface White Group155A White Group 155D Petal count 35 to 40 25-30

-   Parents: Unnamed seedling times unnamed seedling.-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Rosa hybrida.        -   Commercial.—Miniature.-   Plant:    -   -   Plant growth.—Moderately vigorous. Grows compact upright to            bushy. When grown as 10 cm pot plant, the average height of            the plant itself is 18 cm to 20 cm, and average width is            20 cm. When grown as a 15 cm pot plant, the average height            of the plant itself is 22 cm to 27 cm, and average width is            30 cm.-   Stem:    -   -   Color.—Young wood: Yellow-Green Group 144C. Older wood:            Green Group 139B.        -   Thorns.—Incidence: 1 to 2 per stem. Size: 1 to 2 mm. Form:            Deep concave. Color: Greyed-Red Group 181B.        -   Surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.        -   Stem diameter.—Width: 1 mm to 2 mm. Length: 177 mm to 190            mm.        -   Internode length.—15 mm to 20 mm.        -   Numbers of internodes.—4 to 5.-   Plant foliage: Leaves arranged alternately, compound with 3 to 5    leaflets per leaf, generally symmetrical, abundant, and flat in    aspect. Stipules at petiole base.    -   -   Quantity of leaves.—5 to 6 per lateral branch.        -   Leaf size.—Length 35 mm to 55 mm, width 30 mm to 45 mm.        -   Petioles.—Color: Green Group 137C. Margins: Entire. Length:            10 mm to 15 mm Diameter: about 0.5 mm to 1 mm.        -   Stipules.—Size: Length 2 mm to 5 mm, width 1 mm to 2 mm.            Surface upper and lower: Smooth. Color for upper surface:            Green Group 141A. Color for lower surface: Green Group 138A.            Margins: Entire. Apex shape: Spinose.        -   Rachis.—Color: Green Group 137C. Margins: Entire. Length: 5            mm to 10 mm. Diameter: 0.5 mm to 1 mm.        -   Pedicel.—Color: Green Group 143C. Texture: Pubescent. Size:            Length: 10 mm to 20 mm. Width: 3 mm to 4 mm.        -   Leaflets.—Edge: Serrated. Serration: Single. Shape: Ovate            with acute apex and obtuse base. Upper and lower texture:            Smooth. Appearance: Dull. Size: length: 10 mm to 25 mm,            width: 10 mm to 15 mm. Color: Young foliage: Upper surface:            Green Group 137C. Edge with intonations of Greyed-Red 180A.            Lower surface: Green Group 138B. Color: Mature foliage:            Upper surface: Between Green Group 139A-B. Lower surface:            Green Group 139B. Leaf vein color: Upper surface: Green            Group 143A. Reverse surface: Green Group 144C.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Recurrent.        -   Number of flowers.—Generally one to three buds per flowering            stem.        -   Average size.—Width: 11 mm. Length: 25 mm.        -   Peduncle.—Color: Green Group 144B. Upper and lower texture:            Smooth. Length: 15 mm to 30 mm Diameter: 1.5 mm to 2 mm.            Strength: Upright.        -   Receptacle.—Surface: Smooth, glabrous. Shape: Funnel-shaped.            Size: height 4 mm to 6 mm, width 4 mm to 6 mm. Color: Green            Group 144B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: Five. Shape: Narrowly ovate with acute            tip. Upper and lower texture: Leathery. Margin: Foliaceous            appendages on three of the five sepals. Appearance: Dull.            Color: Outer surface: Between Green Group 141B-C. Inner            surface: Between Green Group 139B-C. Size: Length 20 mm to            25 mm, width 3 mm to 5 mm.        -   Buds.—Size: Height 10 mm to 15 mm, diameter 7 mm to 9 mm,            Upon opening. Shape: Ovoid. Color: at ¼ opening, Green-White            Group 157D.        -   Flower.—Duration: As a pot plant, flowers last from 10 to 15            days. Fragrance: Slightly spicy. Size: 30 mm to 40 mm in            diameter. Depth: 15 mm to 20 mm. Form: Shape of flower when            viewed from the side: Upon opening: Cupped to ovoid. Open            flower: Flat. Color: Petals, upon opening: Upper surface:            White Group 155A. Reverse surface: White Group 155A. Petals            after opening: Upper surface: White Group 155A. Reverse            surface: White Group 155A. General tonality: On open flower:            Third day: White Group 155A. Afterwards: White Group 155A.        -   Petals.—Petal reflex: Outermost petals reflex backwards at            opening. Fully open all petals reflex backwards. Texture:            Smooth. Petal edge: Entire. Petal count: 35 to 40 on the            average per flower. Petal size: Length 20 mm to 25 mm, width            15 mm to 20 mm. Shape: Outer petals: Round — ovate. Inner            petals: Ovate. Apex: Rotundate. Base: Obtuse to rotundate.        -   Petaloids.—None.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamen number: Approximately 65 to 70            on average per flower. Stamens length: 5 mm to 6 mm. Pollen:            Color: Yellow-Orange Group 22A. Abundance: Heavy. Anthers:            Size: 1 mm to 2 mm Color: Yellow-Orange Group 22A. Shape:            Oblong. Filaments: Size: 3 mm to 5 mm. Color: Yellow Group            4A. Pistils number: Approximately 50 to 55 on average per            flower. Stigmas: Location: Protrude more than the anthers.            Color: Green-White Group 157A. Styles: Color: Green-White            Group 157A.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Dense.        -   Blooming.—Abundant.        -   Aptitude to bear fruit.—Poor.        -   Resistance to diseases.—Above average resistance to powdery            mildew and Botrytis under normal growing conditions in Santa            Barbara, Calif., USA. Hips/seeds has not been observed due            to that the plant has never been grown to the stage of seed            development, due to the fact, that the variety is developed            for use as a flowering pot plant only.        -   Winter hardiness & drought/heat tolerance.—Due to the fact,            that this variety is a potted flowering plant, developed            indoor use only, the plant is not tested for winter            hardiness or drought/heat tolerance.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Rose plant of the miniature class, substantially as herein illustrated and described as a distinct and novel rose variety due to its abundant white flowers, attractive long lasting foliage, vigorous and compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouse conditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots, and durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable for distribution in the floral industry. 